"On September 25, 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an announcement that reopened one of the deepest wounds in Native American history: "We're making it clear that (the soldiers) deserve those medals. ... Their place in our nation's history is no longer up for debate." He was referring to the 20 Medals of Honor awarded to members of the U.S. 7th Cavalry for their role in the Wounded Knee Massacre."
"It is also reflective of the Trump administration's wider treatment of Native nations. From pushing pipelines through Native lands without tribal consent to stripping protections from Bears Ears and Oak Flat, the administration consistently treats sovereignty and treaty rights as barriers to be removed. The Trump administration also rejected the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act, denying justice for Indian boarding school survivors. Funding for Native housing, health care, and education also faces constant threats, further undermining already under-resourced communities."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly defended 20 Medals of Honor awarded to members of the U.S. 7th Cavalry for their role in the Wounded Knee Massacre. The defense frames the massacre as valor rather than atrocity and inflicts renewed trauma on Native communities, which experience such recognition as erasure and cruelty. The administration has consistently prioritized resource extraction and federal actions over tribal sovereignty, including pushing pipelines through Native lands without consent and stripping protections from Bears Ears and Oak Flat. The administration rejected the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act. Funding for Native housing, health care, and education faces persistent threats, deepening inequalities and denying justice.
Read at Truthout
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]